Chapter 694: King of Cowhide Candy

Punu fled desperately under the cover of his trusted aides, and only after a long time when the pursuers were no longer visible to the naked eye did he finally manage to dismount and catch his breath.

"... I keep feeling something's off; the pursuers speed up and slow down, each time they seem about to catch up, then suddenly slow, as if on purpose."

"What's wrong with that? Don't they need to rest and eat?!"

"... You're saying they could catch up but deliberately let us go? That's impossible! How vicious are those wolf cubs, do I even need to say?"

"That's true…"

The exhausted remnants of the Xiongnu were indeed correct in their feeling; the Great King really was treating them like a kite. When they ran far, he'd instantly tighten the line in his hand, telling them he was still there, and seeing their panicked flight made him happy.

We must make the survivors of this battle never forget these days of flight～

Although the enemy was utterly routed, the Great King didn't necessarily have to exterminate everyone; he simply fixed his gaze on Punu and chased him—did he still not know who was the most inflated on the steppe?

Whenever they turned, he turned; whenever they rested, he rested; whenever they ate grass… he ate his rations. Upon encountering a Xiongnu settlement, he'd casually seize their dried food to eat, keeping himself well-fed.

Most of the able-bodied men from the plundered tribes had gone to the battlefield, leaving only the elderly, weak, women, and children. The Great King's attitude was decent: he only wanted food, not lives, and solemnly informed them that their grazing lands would henceforth belong to Great Jin; if they failed to migrate north by the set deadline, they would be deemed to have joined Great Jin's household registry, letting them consider whether to stay or leave. Of course, once they joined Great Jin's registry, he would no longer plunder his own people when they returned.

Those tribes hadn't had time to evacuate; just ahead they'd encountered the Chanyu leading remnants in flight, ordered to help block the pursuers; behind them they'd run into a little devil who looted cattle and sheep, and he both ate and seized while also threatening them.

Each tribe looked as if they'd lost their parents, and the Great King turned his head and laughed like a villain.

"I don't want to strive anymore! Turns out the taste of plundering is so wonderful~" Hurry up and indulge, save some rations; once he unifies Great Jin, he'll hardly want to plunder his own people's goods.

Wei Shen: ……

The exhausted Baili Hu, resentful that iron wouldn't become steel, snapped, "We've been worn down to this point, and you're just grabbing some food—what's there to be proud of?"

The Great King educated him: "Do you know how precious this morsel of food is? I lack nothing except food."

"Nonsense; as far as I know, over the past two years the number of households in the south has drastically declined—you can't be unaware of the importance of population. Without people, no matter how vast the wasteland, it's worthless…"

"I've been hard-pressed to support those folks who follow our Bai Li clan, so I only want land; the Xiongnu would best all move out, otherwise I'd have to support them. Later I can relocate some of the displaced southerners here; they'll get land many times larger than their former homes, grow corn and raise livestock—what a wonderful life." As he spoke, the Great King grew pleased: "With so much land, plundering truly makes one happy～"

Wei Shen couldn't help splashing cold water: "Don't get happy yet—you haven't even got it. Besides, do you think seizing it means you can operate in peace? The northern barbarians will still come three times a day to harass the people."

The Great King didn't care, saying, "Just watch! This time I'll give them a profound lesson, so that thereafter the mere sight of Jin will make them turn pale, and they'll never dare reach out lightly. I was previously too lenient; when tribute was late I'd make up for it and then immediately withdraw troops, which was easy to dismiss. This time I'll let the steppe see what is called insatiable greed, wickedness overflowing, utter evil, and the ten unforgivable sins."

Wei Shen: "…He knows so many idioms?"

Baili Hu: ……

Since they hadn't yet reached the Lantuo River, this fellow wasn't in a hurry either, treating the chase after the Xiongnu Chanyu as a pastime. After playing cat-and-mouse for seven or eight hundred li, Punu finally realized the Great King was just toying with him.

Punu couldn't fathom the Great King's mind, but the royal capital lay just ahead. As he slowed his pace, wondering whether to send emissaries to negotiate, the Great King this time didn't loaf around—he surged forward, raised his blade, and struck.

Once again, they had no power to resist; fleeing with heads in their arms, that strange golden‑haired creature that was neither horse nor dog still charged into their ranks, throwing everything into utter chaos.

Punu had just ascended to Chanyu, full of ambition to unite the tribes and dominate the steppe, when he ran into the Great King—his luck was just as bad. The Great King was impervious to bribes, came charging in and slashed; they once again escaped by using terrain to their advantage, but now all that remained in their hearts was despair.

"They had absolutely no power to resist; the armor of those northern border cavalry is too wicked!"

"It's not just the armor; they seem never to tire. How could the weak Jin people have become like this…"

"That little brat from the Central Plains wouldn't really want our thousand‑li of land, would he?"

"We're pretty much there now…" The few trusted aides gathered together, and not a single word of what they said was pleasant to Punu's ears.

The royal capital was right before his eyes; he wiped his face, sent scouts back to the city to report, and made preparations to receive the enemy.

The Great King couldn't be shaken off.